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How I Made It: after Burberry and Chanel I helped polyester-clad cyclists change gear

Laura Onita

May 22 2016, 12:01am, The Sunday Times

Simon Mottram plans six more shops, in cities including Taipei, and will expand Rapha’s range for womenVicki Couchman

When Simon Mottram’s son was diagnosed with a severe form of autism needing 24-hour care, the stakes were raised for the entrepreneur. Making a success of Rapha, his clothing brand for stylish cyclists, would mean the boy was always looked after well.

“There’s some steel that comes from something like that. I would quite like to make Oscar’s life as easy as possible,” said Mottram, who founded Rapha in 2004 after working as a brand consultant for the likes of Burberry and Chanel. “It’s not that I can’t fail, but if I’m going to spend all this time pretty indulgently building something, it has to be worthwhile.”

The company’s latest figures suggest he has achieved his aim. It posted a £2m profit on annual turnover…

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